Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by increasing the entertainment value and excitement for the player.
One concept originally employed to increase the entertainment value of a reel spinning game is a bonus round, providing the player with a different game experience occurring randomly during play of the basic game. Typically, a predetermined set of symbols on the basic reel game triggers a bonus round. Bonus games take on a variety of themes and in many cases require the player to make choices that typically instill a feeling of control or self-destiny.
A concept often found in bonus games today is the selection of animated characters or objects that potentially provide the player with a winning outcome. In many cases, the selection results in immediate feedback to the player of an award, a loss, or the completion of the bonus round. Another example of this concept is the requirement or ability to match objects or characters to realize or enhance a winning outcome, or, in some cases, to end the bonus game. Typically, this involves choosing an object or character to reveal a particular characteristic, then attempting to choose (or avoid) another object with identical or similar characteristics to create a matched set. Often times this type of bonus selection is ended when an object is chosen to reveal a bonus ending symbol or result. Bonus selections can also take the form of a simple quota or maximum quantity. When the player selects the maximum number of allowed choices, the bonus round ends and the player is returned to the basic slot game.
An alternative to the matching concept and the maximum number of objects chosen would increase the entertainment value of the bonus game and increase the feeling of control for the player.